A Primer: Defensive Differences Lanning Brings to the Ducks

[FishDuck Article]

To understand the defense that Coach Dan Lanning is bringing to Eugene, you have to first take a look back in time. For much of his career he has worked under Coach Kirby Smart, affording him the opportunity to learn from one of the best defensive minds in the business. It was his mentor that would lay the foundation for ...

 

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[Log Haulin]

 5 Db's also gives you a ton of options blitzing from the secondary. Looks to really help hide where pressure is coming from. Saw it in the NC and it caused Bama huge problems. 

 

In the 4-2-5, Sewell and Flowe will have a field day. Haven't seen Flowe work much but Sewell can defend the pass well, he is such a great athlete.  If Flowe can match, the opposing offenses will never know where the pressure is coming from.

[MaiTaiDuck]

On 1/19/2022 at 4:58 AM, Log Haulin said:

 5 Db's also gives you a ton of options blitzing from the secondary. Looks to really help hide where pressure is coming from. Saw it in the NC and it caused Bama huge problems. 

 

In the 4-2-5, Sewell and Flowe will have a field day. Haven't seen Flowe work much but Sewell can defend the pass well, he is such a great athlete.  If Flowe can match, the opposing offenses will never know where the pressure is coming from.

I mean that is one cat I want to watch the full season because Sewell will or should be first team all Pac 12 next season and Flowe if he can play W/O injury then Flowe will disrupt the game as much as Thib's did. This guy to me is a future HOF LB. He needs to play injury free because he's special and we Duck fans would love to root these two monsters on. Heck that's not just it for LB though, Jackson, LaDuke, Brown, Bassa can come up and play that safety on the line. Talent galore.

[Smith72]

I was impressed by the constant and various pressure on the QB in the championship game.  That will be a welcome change from the passive defense of the Cristobal years.  Hopefully no more successful 3rd and long conversions!

 

Will the defensive backs do more man coverage?  Does Oregon have DB's with the talent to execute man coverage?  Giving a 10 yard cushion to a wide receiver in a soft zone coverage was not a good pass defense!

 

Oregon has had lock down corners in the past. My favorite Ifo (IEO).

 

What are the strengths and schemes of the defensive passing coaches?  It would be another good article to add to the previous ones.  Thanks for helping me to Understand the Lanning defense!

 

 

[Coach Eric Boles]

I didn’t mention who I think could be the Jack and Star on Oregon’s current roster, but DJ Johnson and Bassa could do really well in those roles. 
 

Bassa has already done well at LB and his natural position is safety. It’s seems like a perfect fit. 
 

And Johnson has played a role similar to the Jack in Coach Avalos’ defense. 

[Coach Eric Boles]

On 1/19/2022 at 7:58 AM, Log Haulin said:

 5 Db's also gives you a ton of options blitzing from the secondary. Looks to really help hide where pressure is coming from. Saw it in the NC and it caused Bama huge problems. 

 

In the 4-2-5, Sewell and Flowe will have a field day. Haven't seen Flowe work much but Sewell can defend the pass well, he is such a great athlete.  If Flowe can match, the opposing offenses will never know where the pressure is coming from.

The extra DB does give the defense a bit more flexibility. I would say that the Jack does that too. These two “hybrid” positions allow them to do a variety of things as far as looks and pressures are concerned. 

[Coach Eric Boles]

On 1/19/2022 at 10:22 AM, MaiTaiDuck said:

I mean that is one cat I want to watch the full season because Sewell will or should be first team all Pac 12 next season and Flowe if he can play W/O injury then Flowe will disrupt the game as much as Thib's did. This guy to me is a future HOF LB. He needs to play injury free because he's special and we Duck fans would love to root these two monsters on. Heck that's not just it for LB though, Jackson, LaDuke, Brown, Bassa can come up and play that safety on the line. Talent galore.

Bassa is who I could see playing the Star too. 

[Haywarduck]

Eric, amazing article, and I look forward to better understanding all you wrote as the Lanning era progresses. For now I can agree completely with the last sentence you wrote.

 

The defense that Coach Lanning looks to implement with the Oregon Ducks looks to be one that prioritizes speed and aggressiveness; something I’m sure will be a major hit with everyone in Autzen, except the opposing offenses.

[Drake]

Lanning will definitely have some solid players to start with. Our existing defensive players should be excited to run his defensive scheme.

 

Now, if Lanning finds DL monsters like Georgia’s Jordan Davis (6’6” 340lbs), and gets them to come to Oregon….

 

 

 

[Charles Fischer]

Coach Boles, this is outstanding to give us the basic differences in alignment that few would ever look up and understand.  I had read about the "Mint" alignment, but had not done the homework to understand what it was, so THANKS for that.

 

This is a wonderful base article that is easy to read and understand, and will be the beginning of a new section in the Oregon Analysis Library explaining the Lanning Defense at Oregon!

 

[Charles Fischer]

And...I have to give kudos to FishDuck Photographer Tom Corno, who was at the game and captured the incredible photo of Brandon Dorlus at the top of this analysis article.

 

 

[The Kamikaze Kid]

I can't wait till we see a defense that turns 3rd and 13 into 4th and 23.

[30Duck]

On 1/19/2022 at 10:02 AM, The Kamikaze Kid said:

I can't wait till we see a defense that turns 3rd and 13 into 4th and 23.

 

I clapped my hands when I saw that. Just getting out of a 3rd and long would be huge. But imagine a defense that could actually make the situation better! It's ridiculous fun to imagine a Ducks team with a defense that just lays waste to offenses!

[Mic]

...until teams with massive O-Linemen and powerful RB's begin running straight up the gut. There's always a give & take.  Flexibility, speed and power are the holy grail of Football, Offenses and Defenses.  Translation: more 4 & 5 star recruits.  Last I saw, Oregon was sitting at #64 Nationally, #9 in the Conference.

[Coach Eric Boles]

On 1/19/2022 at 1:39 PM, Mic said:

...until teams with massive O-Linemen and powerful RB's begin running straight up the gut. There's always a give & take.  Flexibility, speed and power are the holy grail of Football, Offenses and Defenses.  Translation: more 4 & 5 star recruits.  Last I saw, Oregon was sitting at #64 Nationally, #9 in the Conference.

I get the sentiment but the scheme faced a few of the types of offense you’re talking about. Do we need to get to the level of roster that Georgia has to win a national title? Maybe. Do we need it to win another conference title? No. 

[Coach Eric Boles]

On 1/19/2022 at 11:03 AM, Coach Eric Boles said:

I get the sentiment but the scheme faced a few of the types of offense you’re talking about. Do we need to get to the level of roster that Georgia has to win a national title? Maybe. Do we need it to win another conference title? No. 

I’d also say that if you run into an offense with giant linemen that can run in space and a giant RB that can play in space, and they’re play their assignments near perfection, not many defenses are stopping that. 

[EastBayDuckDad]

Is there a defensive player at any level, high school to the pros, that doesn't love to pin their ears back and go after it with stunts, blitzes  and misdirection? Oregon’s current roster (Sewell, Flowe, Bassa  Dorlus, Popo, et all) seems very well suited to the defense that Coach Lanning seems to be bringing here. Thanks to Eric Boles for laying out the probable Xs and Os of that defense.